How Marc Grebler turned a family workshop into a maker of bespoke Land Rover Defenders
We sat down with Marc Grebler, the young founder of Costa Motor. The company creates modernised versions of the classic British icon, with a limited production of no more than 12 vehicles per year.
Born in Barcelona and raised in Geneva, Marc Grebler studied finance in the UK before deciding to take his career off-road. Back in Spain, he turned his boyhood passion for four-wheel-drive vehicles into a small family business that restores, customises and modernises Land Rover Defenders.
“My grandfather on my mother’s side had a workshop just outside Barcelona that specialised in servicing Saabs,” says Grebler. “But Saab stopped making cars in 2015. Shortly afterwards, my grandfather died and there wasn’t much for the mechanics to do.” After a period of inactivity at the workshop, he approached his aunt, who had been running the business for her father, and suggested trying something new.
“I was always a car fan and fell in love with Land Rover Defenders in my teens,” he says. “At the time, you could pick them up for very little in Spain. My idea was to renovate Defenders in my grandfather’s workshop. I was still at university and the family thought that I was crazy, so we decided to start with one vehicle. When it sold, we began to see the idea’s potential and Costa Motor found its second wind.”
Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Though Grebler initially saw this as a setback for the company, it allowed him to spend more time in Spain with his aunt and the cars. Plus, the period had an unexpected bonus. “There was an explosion of interest in Defenders during that time,” he says. “People were buying them, painting them and selling them on for two or three times what they had paid. But we decided to double down on quality. That’s how you build trust and a loyal customer base.”
Costa Motor’s clients are predominantly wealthy European car enthusiasts who appreciate Grebler’s personal approach. No two builds are the same and the process begins with a personal consultation. “First, I ask them what they want it for,” he says. “Do they have children? Dogs? Will they drive it in the city? Is it going to Mallorca? Will they head to the beach every weekend?” Once Grebler understands his clients’ intentions, he can build the concept and source an original Defender shell. The finished models typically sell for about €160,000, plus tax.
“If it’s a businessman who wants a fun car for his holiday home in the Med, we recommend technical upholstery,” says Grebler. “He can jump in wearing a wet swimsuit, his kids can spill drinks in the back and everything is easy to clean. Someone else might want a 200TDI because that’s what his father drove. He’s looking for authenticity. For him, we recommend real leather that will age beautifully over time. It starts with a conversation.”
Grebler restricts Costa Motor’s workload to no more than 12 projects a year. A team of craftspeople – including mechanics, leatherworkers and paint specialists – spends an average of 900 hours on each car. The approach is uniquely Iberian. “They’re incredibly committed,” he says. “Most of them have families so we have found a rhythm that works for everyone. We start at 07.00, work until 10.00, then there’s a pause for breakfast. After that, they work straight through until 15.00, then head home. There’s a flexibility in Spain that you don’t find everywhere.”
As well as Grebler’s hands-on approach, what sets Costa Motor apart is its focus on materials. Leather is a key element for Grebler. “You can have the most incredible engine in the world but if the leather feels cheap, the whole experience is ruined,” he says. “We’re obsessed with how the car feels. Everything your hands touch should feel substantial. We replace plastic with aluminium wherever we can. We cover surfaces in leather. We want to keep the original character of the Defender but give it a premium feel.”
This approach extends beyond materiality. Costa Motor recently delivered a Defender 90 to a client who loves his dog so much that the team incorporated its likeness alongside the company’s wolf logo throughout the interior. Once the cars are finished, they will be sent to their new owners; so far, their destinations have included Saint-Tropez, Verbier, Andorra and Comporta.
So, with Costa Motor’s order book full until well into 2027, what’s next for the company? “I would like us to become less dependent on Defenders,” says Grebler. “We’re finally at a stage where we have almost a year’s worth of work, which gives us peace of mind. There are so many possibilities. What I really want is for a client to come to me and say, ‘I loved what you did with my Defender. I also have a Porsche 911. Can we do something equally special with it?’ That would be the dream.”
costa-motor.com
Land Rover Defender
Launched in 1948 as the Land Rover Series I, the original vehicle evolved through successive models before becoming the Defender in 1990. Renowned for its rugged aluminium body, four-wheel drive and go-anywhere capabilities, it became a staple among those working in farming, exploration, military service and humanitarian work across the globe. Built largely by hand at Solihull in the UK, the original Defender remained in production until 2016, with only minor updates. Stricter safety and emissions regulations brought almost seven decades of continuous production to an end and Land Rover tapped out at two million sales.
